Parents leave for boy death trial

Paul was sleeping on the beach when the boat hit him

The parents of a toddler killed by a speedboat in the Bahamas flew out to testify against three men accused of their son's manslaughter.

Paul Gallagher, of Orpington, south-east London, was killed at the Atlantis Resort in 2002.

The two-year-old's parents said they were "putting their faith" in the jury.

Boat driver James Bain and boat owners Clifford Nottage and Evangeless Williamson face charges of manslaughter through negligence.

Mr Williamson is also charged with perjury.

He and Mr Nottage own Paradise Ocean Sports which operates on the beach where the accident took place.

Paul's parents campaigned for five years to get a trial

The trial is due to begin on 14 April in the Bahamian capital Nassau.

The trial comes after a five-year campaign by the Gallagher family to allow Metropolitan Police officers to investigate the death.

In 2007 the attorney general in the Bahamas finally allowed the case to be taken to court.

Paul's mother, Andrea, 41, said: "I've got to hang on to the hope that it will be a fair trial.

"We are putting our faith in the people of the Bahamas and in the fact that the jury are going to make the right judgment."

The boy's father, Paul, 43, said: "We truly hope that it will be a fair and open hearing and that lessons will be learned from what happened to little Paul.

"It has been a hard fight to bring the boat owners and boat driver to court and we have to put our lives on hold to do this but we believe that a conviction will mean justice for our son - who had his whole life ahead of him."

The Gallagher family were on a holiday with their three children when the boat mounted the beach and hit Paul who was sleeping in the sand.